Legal Blog

Ward, Schoenbaum, and De Leon Obtain Victory for International Commercial Client

August 12, 2011|Deleon & Washburn, P.C.

On August 8, 2011, the law firm of De Leon & Washburn, PC secured an early victory for an international corporate client facing multiple claims. The case was handled by the litigation team of George B. Ward, Lauren Schoenbaum, and Ben De Leon. The suit presented complicated issues relating to venue, personal jurisdiction, and removal to federal court. The corporate client, who specializes in providing financial and tax consulting services, was initially sued in a Texas state court. After a thorough jurisdiction analysis, attorneys Ward, Schoenbaum, and De Leon quickly removed the case to federal court, where briefing commenced on the substantive issues.

The Plaintiff challenged the removal to federal court, asserting that the amount in controversy did not meet the criteria for removal. After responding to Plaintiff’s argument, the De Leon & Washburn attorneys filed a motion to dismiss. Following a substantial amount of further briefing, the federal court dismissed the entire action against the client. The court held that Plaintiff’s claims were indeed barred by the contractual venue provision and notions of jurisdiction. The quick victory, obtained less than six months from the initial filing of the lawsuit, allowed the client to avoid the costly and protracted litigation that so often occurs in complex corporate matters.